Looking for our music. Unsigned.com.

When looking for our music, we searched through many different websites, that offered us unsigned bands, including websites such as youtube, unsigned.com and mp3unsigned.com.

These are examples of a few of the websites we used when trying to find our music.

Editing to the beat.

After not using Final Cut Express for some time, we needed to refresh our minds on how it worked in advance to doing our preliminary task. We were given a song, and some clips of people dancing, and were told to edit the first 30 seconds of a music video. We were given one lesson to do this. It worked well, reminding us again of how to use the programme. The main objective of this task was to learn to edit to the beat, something we were going to have to perfect to make a full music video. Here is a sample of some of the work i attempted to do...

We completed this task using Final Cut Express, and had to place the music and clips of film onto the timeline and had to cut and rearrange the clips in order for them to match the music.

Key Music Video Conventions.

Here are some of the typical conventions of a music video. However, each music video is different, depending on the mood, and genre of the music.
The video tends to match the emotion used in the music, and this is shown in videos such as The Scientist by Coldplay, directed by Jamie Thraves. Overall the song is seemingly 'depressing', mentioning love and the loss of love, and Jamie Thraves portrays that emotion in the video by making the overall lighting grey, the setting as 'boring' and normal, and the overall story of the video as extremely sad and emotional.

He also takes a line of the film, 'oh lets go back to the start', and bases the whole video on that, making the whole video in reverse and many other directors also take this idea and use it.

Here are some more conventions of the genre of Pop music videos:

• Creativity
• Simplicity
• Well- known band/artist
• Good choreography
• Humour
• Originality
• Guest stars
• Attractive artist/dancers/actors
• Controversial topics
• Irony
• A strong or emotional story
• Memorability
• Fashin and trends

When studying different types of music videos, i began to notice that there are also conventional shots that most directors use. The majority of music videos are shot using mid shots, long shots and close ups of the artists face.
Directors also pay a lot of attention to the use of colour in their video and some of the best videos in the business have been shot in either black and white or have been high in contrast etc.

Establishing shots are also excessively used in many music videos, as they establish the surroundings and settings of the video and set the atmosphere of the video.

Music Video Success Criteria

There are many ways that a music video to tell if a music video is successful or not, such as :

• Whether it wins a VMA award or not. 
• Whether it is talked about or not, or features in magazines, newspapers and online.
• Whether it has a lot of hits on Youtube. 
• How many times its been shown on TV.
• The amount of publicity, whether or not that is positive or negative. 
• How many times its been downloaded.
• How many CD's its sold.

A video that i would consider to be successful is Gangnam Style by PSY. This video is 'foreign' to most countries and the lyrics make no sense to most people, however due to video and dance routine it hit number 1 in many countries, including the UK, and is one of the most successful Youtube videos, having a lot of likes and views. 

Key Music Videos -100 Greatest Music Videos.

No.55 -Fatboy Slim-Praise You



A music video that i particularly enjoy is Fatboy Slim-Praise You. The music video at the time was very new and original, costing only $800 to produce, and was shot in a shopping centre. None of the public were aware that the group of dancers taking part weren't buskers, and were choreographed dancers, taking part in a major music video and this is shown in the video when a cinema steward turns off the stereo and when people are walking past with disgusted looks on their faces.

The visuals contradict the lyrics ans all in all have no relevance to what the lyrics are or could be implying. The video is iconic in the fact that it is what would be considered a response video or a parody of an original dance routine but instead is the official video that has cleverly been done to appear in that style.

The director of the video, Spike Jonze, stars in the video under the pseudonym 'Richard Koufey' along with a fictional dance group known as the 'Torrance Community Dance Group'.

No. 50 : Paul Simon-You Can Call Me Al




This video was concieved partly by Lorne Michaels and was directed by Gary Weis wherein Chevy Chase lip-synced all of Paul Simon's vocals in an upbeat presentation, with gestures punctuating the lyrics. I particularly enjoy this video because its humorous, due to the fact that Chevy Chase is 6''4 and Paul Simon is 5''3. The fact that they contrast so much, adds to the strange lyrics and simple, strange video. I also enjoy this video due to its simplicity, and lack of special effects or dance routines. The fact that it merely has a comedian lip-syncing the lyrics, and Paul Simon looking bored and playing his instruments throughout the whole video, matches the complex yet simple song, and captures the lighthearted mood that the song creates.

No 48 : Johnny Cash- Hurt




This video was directed by Mark Romanek and was released at a tough time in Johnny Cash's life - his wife had just passed away and he had been diagnosed with neurodegenerative disease, casting him with not long left to live, and this video successfully celebrates his life, along with portraying the sadness and devastation he and everybody around him is feeling. The video contains references of religion, darkness, flashbacks of his life and the majority of the video is based on the 'House Of Cash' museum. Visuals of the direct museum and broken memorabelia are shown to correspond with the lyric 'my empire of dirt'. This acts as a reflective sentimental piece from Cash, he has lost his wife and is now losing his own personality due to his terminal illness.

No 10: Nirvana - Smells like Teen Spirit





The song, 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' is a song what we assume is about rebellion of teenagers, and this is successfully portrayed throughout the whole video. The vide encompasses everything it is to be a teenager, set in a school gym, the band is performing to students, and they are rebelliously dancing and going crazy.

No 9: Madonna - Vogue 



The music video for Vogue, directed by David Fincher showed Madonna paying tribute to the era of Hollywood actresses. Shot in black and white, the video takes stylistic inspiration from the 20s and 30s and in it, Madonna used her postmodern influence to expose an underground subcultural movement to the masses.

100 Greatest Music Videos. 1

1. # Michael Jackson: Thriller
2. # Peter Gabriel: Sledgehammer
3. # A-ha: Take on Me
4. # Queen: Bohemian Rhapsody
5. # Madonna: Like a Prayer
6. # Robbie Williams: Rock DJ
7. # Michael Jackson: Billie Jean
8. # The Verve: Bittersweet Symphony
9. # Madonna: Vogue
10. # Nirvana: Smells Like Teen Spirit
11. # Coldplay: The Scientist
12. # Michael & Janet Jackson: Scream
13. # Pink Floyd: Another Brick in the Wall
14. # Christina Aguilera: Dirrty
15. # REM: Everybody Hurts
16. # OutKast: Hey Ya
17. # Blur: Coffee & TV
18. # Beyonce: Crazy in Love
19. # Madonna: Material Girl
20. # Gorillaz: Clint Eastwood
21. # Queen: I Want to Break Free
22. # Justin Timberlake: Cry Me a River
23. # Britney Spears: ...Baby One More Time
24. # Radiohead: No Surprises
25. # Madness: Baggy Trousers
26. # TLC: Waterfalls
27. # David Bowie: Ashes to Ashes
28. # Foo Fighters: Learn to Fly
29. # Electric Six: Gay Bar
30. # Weezer: Buddy Holly
31. # Eminem: Stan
32. # Chris Isaak: Wicked Game
33. # U2: The Sweetest Thing
34. # The White Stripes: Fell in Love with a Girl
35. # Sinead O'Connor: Nothing Compares 2U
36. # Red Hot Chili Peppers: Give It Away
37. # Guns N Roses: November Rain
38. # Fatboy Slim: Weapon of Choice
39. # Pulp: Common People
40. # Missy Elliot: Get Ur Freak On
41. # The Spice Girls: Wannabe
42. # Bjork: It's Oh So Quiet
43. # Dire Straits: Money for Nothing
44. # Kylie Minogue: Can't Get You Out of My Head
45. # Aerosmith: Crazy
46. # Adam & the Ants: Prince Charming
47. # The Prodigy: Firestarter
48. # Johnny Cash: Hurt
49. # Jamiroquai: Virtual Insanity
50. # Paul Simon: You Can Call Me Al
51. # Run DMC & Aerosmith: Walk This Way
52. # Massive Attack: Teardrop
53. # Wham: Club Tropicana
54. # Daft Punk: Around the World
55. # Fatboy Slim: Praise You
56. # Eminem: Without Me
57. # Meatloaf: I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)
58. # The Cure: Close to Me
59. # Abba: Knowing Me, Knowing You
60. # Eurythmics: Sweet Dreams
61. # The Prodigy: Smack My Bitch Up
62. # Blur: Parklife
63. # George Michael: Outside
64. # Bjork: Human Behaviour
65. # Aphex Twin: Windowlicker
66. # Bob Dylan: Subterranean Homesick Blues
67. # The Beastie Boys: Sabotage
68. # Madonna: Ray of Light
69. # Frankie Goes to Hollywood: Two Tribes
70. # The Police: Every Breath You Take
71. # Bjork: All Is Full of Love
72. # Robert Palmer: Addicted to Love
73. # Basement Jaxx: Where's Your Head At?
74. # Wu-Tang Clan: Gravel Pit
75. # Duran Duran: Rio
76. # The Beatles: Strawberry Fields
77. # MC Hammer: U Can't Touch This
78. # Godley and Creme: Cry
79. # New Order: True Faith
80. # Radiohead: Just
81. # Ultravox: Vienna
82. # 50 Cent: In Da Club
83. # Shakespear's Sister: Stay
84. # The Boomtown Rats: I Don't Like Mondays
85. # Sid Vicious: My Way
86. # The Streets: Fit But You Know It
87. # Talking Heads: Once in a Lifetime
88. # Elton John: I Want Love
89. # Smashing Pumpkins: Tonight Tonight
90. # The Pet Shop Boys: Go West
91. # The Specials: Ghost Town
92. # Herbie Hancock: Rockit
93. # The Rolling Stones: We Love You
94. # Bonnie Tyler: Total Eclipse of the Heart
95. # The Cardigans: My Favourite Game
96. # So Solid Crew: 21 Seconds
97. # Cornershop: Brimful of Asha
98. # Bronski Beat: Smalltown Boy
99. # Supergrass: Pumping on Your Stereo
100. # Musical Youth: Pass the Dutchie

Purpose Of A Music Promo Video.

• To promote the single.
• To promote the artist.
• To increase sales of the single, as well as the artist's other music.
• To gain interest in related entities, such as a film or television show.
• To show the artist's interpretation of their song.
• To cause controversy and therefore publicity.
• To highlight certain issues.
• To hide the flaws of the song.
• To increase the artist's fanbase.
• To market a particular image.
• To entertain.
• To make an artistic statement.
• Product placement.

The purpose of a video could also be to change the profile of the band, to show people that they are changing/have changed, and are trying to attract a new kind of audience. A band who have done this are Mcfly. When they were first trying to attract an audience, they used bright coloured videos, with bright backgrounds, that were 'cute,joky and fun, such as this one...


However, 8 years later, the band are older and understand that they need to attract a new audience, so they changed their style of video to a darker, more serious style, where they dress in dark and edgy cothes, have choreographed dancers and gothic like backgrounds, with more controlled editing, like in this video...


A music can also publicise the artist by causing controversy. An artist who has done this many times is Christina Aguilera with songs and videos such as 'Dirrty', or 'Beautiful'. Both of these videos changed Christina Aguilera's image and caused extreme controversy in the media and in the public overall.




To remove her 'Disney girl' image, Christina performs a song solely about sex and stars in a video in which she is wearing, acting and dancing provocatively. This stunned audiences and in turn caused a lot of controversy. However, it DID make Christina succesfull, and gave her a new, adult image.

My Favourite Music Video.

One of my favourite music videos, is Sorry For Party Rocking by LMFAO. I like the fact that this video has a slight simple joke-like back story to it, and that people who are large fans of the group, LMFAO, understand the humour behind the video. However, it still makes sense and is funny to those who aren't big fans. I like the fact that the mis-en-scene is cartoon-like/plastic-like and colourful, giving the impression that it is taking place in a 'fake' world. The whole theme of the video is fun, and this is shown by the fact that everything is colourful and exciting, the people in the video are dancing around, drunk and drinking alcohol, dressing up in colourful outfits, singing and making a mess. This is also shown in the editing of the video, at moments such as 4.07 onwards, when the editing speeds up to emphasize the excitement and drunkness of the people at the party.






Another music video that i particularly enjoy is the video to Parklife by Blur. I like the fact that each line of the song matches most of the video, like at 0.50 when a fat man walks past and the lead actor says, 'you should cut out on your porklife mate'. I enjoy the fact that although the lyrics to the song are somewhat depressing, the video is rather comical and fun. This is shown by the fact thtat it takes place in a grubby town, that they describe as 'parklife', however it seems summery ans sunny. There are also people dancing around with bright coloured umbrellas, and the editing is relatively fast when the chorus comes in, to show the most exciting part of the song. The video attracts all kinds of audience, as its set in a lower class, 'grubby' town, and this makes people feel as if Blur know how it feels to be in a grubby area, singing about their 'Parklife'.

Coursework Brief.

Our coursework brief is to produce a music 'promo' video, of up to 5 minutes, either working on your own or in a group of up to four members.

We also need to produce a 'digipak' for its release on DVD and a magazine advertisement for that DVD.